A Winter Out of Order
by Mysteryfan17
Summary: A few months after Easter, Jack's guard is down while fulfilling a child's wish. The danger it puts him in when Pitch gets a taste of his fear and decides to use it will throw the seasons out of balance and leave the Guardians and the kids from Burgess fighting to keep hope and belief alive.
1. A Trap and Lies

Jack Frost shivered. He never felt cold, well, never shivered from cold. He loved cold. He didn't love the looks he was getting from the _very_ disgruntled spirits surrounding him.

"Come on; it's not like I wanted to-"

"Exactly! You never wanted it and you don't deserve it so just give it up. One of _us_ should have been the new Guardian, not a trouble making nobody like you."

"Hey! Just because I didn't doesn't mean I don't now. I _am_ a Guardian and I'm not going to stop."

Jack was going from concerned to angry fast. He glared at the furry menace holding his staff and found he hated the Groundhog more than the Easter Kangaroo. Five months of hanging out at the Pole, popping in on Bunny, smiling at the fairies (only Baby Tooth didn't swoon or faint when he did that), jumping on Sandy's cloud for a bit, and spreading snow at the poles or mountains, he forgot one thing: how much the other spirits hated him. He had dipped into Canada to spread a bit of an early storm to one small part and, the next thing he knew, he was facedown in the woods with several of the 'better known' spirits.

"Too bad we disagree. They put up with you because you got lucky against Pitch Black. If you disappear like you should, they won't care because you aren't needed anymore."

Jack felt, actually _felt_ , his blood go cold-er. No, this wasn't true. It wasn't going to happen. Pitch was not the only reason. He was wrong, they all were. The Guardians did care about him, he was sure of it. They'd put up with him for months now and, if they didn't care, why was North teaching him ice sculpting, and Bunny, painting eggs, even if he complained that Jack used all the blues and white paint. He'd even gone gathering teeth with Tooth the other night.

"You-You're lying. Stop it!"

Jack lunged for his staff, only for a fireball to hit him, catching him off guard.

"I don't think so. This time, you don't get to hit them back."

Will O'Wisp smirked, his eyes burning like the flame in his hand. He threw it, burning the sleeve of the hoodie when Jack raised his arm to shield himself, and stepped closer.

"What's wrong? No snarky comments? No taunts, insults or even a pathetic threat? You're nothing! You're weak and can never be a real Guardian!" He tossed a fireball with each comment, laughing with a few of the others at the teen's attempts to block them. Wisp grinned when he managed to knock the kid to the ground. He gathered a huge fireball, pausing as the others cheered and urged him to teach the kid a lesson. As he cocked his arm to throw it, his foot slid out from under him and the fireball went flying, hitting some trees and spreading. The fresh snow and lower temperature wasn't enough to counter the fact that it was still summer and the woods weren't exactly damp. The first few trees went up fast, melting the snow and burning the wood. Wisp looked at Jack Frost; the brat's hands were flat on the ground and ice, a narrow stream of it, went right under him. His eyes widened as he looked the other way, at the flames, and huffed.

"See? Spirit of Winter and he causes destruction even with fire." Wisp narrowed his gaze at Frost. "It was your ice that started the chain reaction, so it's your fault." Wisp looked at the Groundhog, still sneering. "He's destructive enough without that so he doesn't need it. Destroy it."

"Nooo!"

The Groundhog wasn't sure about breaking the kid's staff at first but then he heard the cries of the woodland animals. They weren't supposed to be in danger and it was Frost's fault the fire went wild and put them in this condition.

"Wood for wood. Consider your toy gone." He snapped it and took off, leaving the pieces behind so he could get the animals to safety. He heard a cry behind him that could be mistaken for pain but he brushed it off as the kid caring more for his stick than anything else.

Will O-Wisp kept his face neutral as everyone took off, either for their own safety or to get the animals away. He left them to do that and focused on the winter pest as he looked horrified, still clutching his chest with one hand while the other was sending ice along the ground toward the flames. He noticed that it melted before it even reached the fire itself and looked back at Frost with a chuckle when he let out a desperate 'no'.

"What's wrong? You thought you could do something right? You always mess things up. Now, with you gone, you can never interfere with me again. By the way, this is for humiliating me all those times."

Will grabbed Frost by the back of his blue shirt, holding a flame in his right hand and grinning at Frost's feeble struggling. He punched the teen's chest and then leaned close to the frozen teen's ear as the sweatshirt started burning.

 _"I told you I would have my revenge. Too bad I don't have a lake or swamp to dump you in but, being me, even without water, my fire will lead to your end. You_ _never_ _had a chance against me."_

He dropped the gasping lump face down on the ground, dusting his hands off over the boy's head and hearing him whimper.

"This is what you're worth, nothing. Oh, I think I'll keep this, a nice souvenir and a warning to the next one that bothers me what will happen to them, as well as remind me of your destruction."

Will O'Wisp picked up the two halves and stuck them in his belt alongside his seldom used weapon of choice. He heard a grunt and looked back. The frozen brat was pushing himself up with his good arm, his burned one under him but still trying to support him.

"Don't you know when to give up?"

He used his flames like a whip to grab a large branch, snapping it off and letting it fall on the Winter Menace.

"I would tell you to never cross me again but, well, I'm pretty sure you never will. Good bye Jack Frost."

* * *

Deep in a dark lair, working to calm and re-tame his Nightmares, a man in a dark cloak suddenly felt an influx of power. It was strong and delicious and, best of all, familiar.

"Oh, Jack Frost. How I wish I was the one causing this fear. I must say, it tastes good after these long months. Soooo... refreshing."

He grinned, showing his teeth. With the boost of the fears of the immortal child, he could send a message or two. He was sure the Big Four would loooove to hear from him.

* * *

North tapped his boot in time to the pounding music, working on a special gift for the newest member of the team. Jack had proven himself greatly against Pitch and was still on the nice list. This gift was long overdue anyway. He was giving it a finishing touch when the door slammed open, causing him to hit it too hard and cracking it.

"Ahhh."

"Ohhh."

"Ahh-ahh."

"Ohhh."

"I tell you to knock, every time. This is simple thing to do-"

North was cut off as the yeti started on a rant about the globe and black sand.

"No, not again. Show me."

He followed the yeti and, although there are no lights flashing, there is a swirl of black sand at the top, just like the yeti said.

"Pitch! What are you doing here?"

"I just came to thank you. After all, I never could have sent this without the fear of a child losing everything. Well, an immortal child. Frost is really a-"

"What? Jack! Where is he? You had better not have hurt him you-" North started exclaiming in Russian only for the sand to start 'tutting'.

"Now, now. Temper. If you're yelling and insulting me, how can I answer, even if I were inclined to?"

North could hear the grin in the silky, calm voice. It turned his stomach but he paused in his ranting, activating the Northern Lights at the same time

"Now, North, that was mean." The sand, now away from the Globe and circling, sounded put out. "You didn't even warn me to move."

"Where is Jack?" North demanded, holding his swords ready.

"Tut, tut. At least say 'please'."

"Hey, mate, what's wi' the li- Pitch!"

"North?" Tooth gasped as she and Sandy arrived, the latter forming his whips and glaring at the black sand.

"I seem to be unwelcome now so I bid you, good day." Pitch grinned as he watched, through a small amount of sand in a shadow, the Easter Bunny hop over to North and cross his arms.

"Bloody good thing he's gone. World has no use for him, that's fer sure."

Sandy nodded but Tooth looked confused.

"I just wonder why he stayed here so long. He knows he should stay where he is. I should have knocked all his teeth out since those are the only good thing he's got."

Pitch withdrew his sand as North started telling the rest what had happened, Now, for Jack Frost. He still didn't have the strength or control over the Nightmares to leave but the sand, with the images it had gathered from the Pole, could do his work for him and further destroy the hope Frost had.

* * *

Jack coughed repeatedly, struggling to get out from under the piece of wood that was pinning him down. His ice was melting as fast as he formed it and he couldn't get enough under the ends of the limb to slide it off or lift it up. He looked around again for something, anything, when a black shape came toward him from the flickering shadows of the trees and Jack tried calling for help, tried to get their attention, only to see the blob mold into a swirling image that reminded him of Jamie's TV.

Jack watched what was in front of him, images of the Pole that he thought meant he could get help. His eyes began to sting and his throat threatened to close off but now, it wasn't the heat or smoke, it was the words of his fr- of his so-called friends. The others, and even Pitch, were right. The Guardians hadn't really cared. With that thought, Jack felt something break inside... his heart.

 _"I'm... I'm never getting out of here... Pitch was right. No one really cares about me."_

Jack buried his face in the elbow of his unburned sleeve. It was hopeless to struggle further so why bother fight.

* * *

Aster was pacing with one of his boomerangs clenched in his fist. He had been growling about getting out there and finding Frost when he felt it- the sharp, stabbing pain of Hope fizzling out- dying. This was like at Easter. He'd been hurt so much by the loss of faith in him and lack of belief he thought it had been from that. This was a specific person but something was different. He felt the ebb and flow all the time as children grew up but this was unnatural, sudden, fast, as though it was too early, the child too young... it reminded him of that kid walking through him.

"Bunny, what's wrong?" Tooth flitted over and touched his shoulder but he shook her off.

"North, something's up. Check the Globe. Pitch is up ta somethin'."

North stomped over, checking believers now to those before Pitch showed up. It took him awhile with Tooth fluttering over his shoulder and Bunny rubbing his chest, both distracting and telling since he rarely showed discomfort unless it was bad.

"Is no different. No new lights out."

"Look mate, I know what I felt. Ye can' say there ain' at least one less light."

Sandy hoovered over the Globe waving and pointing down at a fading light near the top in a remote part of Canada. He tried several times before flying down and grabbing for an elf that was drinking the eggnog that a yeti had brought for him. The guy tried to run in panic only to get wrapped in sand and shaken.

"Sandy? What is it? Am trying to tell Bunny is heartburn."

Sandy rolled his eyes and flew to the Globe, pointing down. Tooth flew over and joined him, seeing the light flicker and dim even more.

"Oh, there's one here, it's faint though, really faint."

North checked again and shook his head.

"Must have been weak already, I never had anyone in that area so I did not notice i-"

"Crikey mate, Pitch is doin' who knows what ta tha' kid and ya don' notice?"

"Well, like I say, was weak before. You only just felt it so how could be same reason?"

Tooth huffed and grew more concerned as she watched the light weakening to almost nothing and the two 'men' trying to get the last word in.

"Does it matter? We need to go check. It's the only one that's showing signs of going out."

"We also need to find Jack. He has not come and was who Pitch mentioned. Tooth, have any of your fairies seen him? Ask again. Bunny and I will head out with sleigh to find child while Sandy and Tooth search for Jack."

"No way mate. Not again. No bloody waaaaaaaay."

North grabbed Bunny and laughed.

"We make better time and everyone loves the sleigh."

* * *

 **A/N: Hi, I hope this is OK, I had this started on paper in August and it bloomed but I had that RP... but, the RP is done so now, this and my other stories are getting worked on. I do have my birthday next week so... reviews would be a great present and sorry right away that these stories will be done in turns. I will be better than I have been. Night and, any readers that are mothers, Happy Mother's Day!**

 **~Mysteryfan17~**


	2. Revelations

Chapter 2

Sandy and Tooth moved fast, using every one of Tooth's fairies to search as they collected teeth. Nothing was found and their arrival at where Jack had told them Pitch's lair was proved to be a dead end. The opening was closed up and it was only with the help of 'Baby Tooth', as she liked to be called after her Easter with Jack, did they even know where to look.

"Oooh, dead end. There has to be another way. Unless he doesn't even have Jack here. There are so many places that are dark enough, all he needs is shadow. Oh, poor Sweet Tooth, I don't want to think about what he's doing to-"

Sandy tried to get Tooth's attention as she went off on multiple trains of thought but failed. He resorted to putting up a blockade of sand to get her to notice but she flew right into it without looking, dropping in place with teeth circling her head. Sandy winced, not having intended to do that again, before gathering a sand cloud under her. They were close to the lake Jack was sworn in on and they had intimate believers so, during the day, that would be a safe place for her.

* * *

Bunny was very happy when the sleigh landed but he didn't have the chance to show it since the smoke and heat were overpowering his senses.

"No way, the believer's in there? Crikey, no wonder the blighter's lost hope."

"Hey, would you lend me a paw?"

Bunny turned, searching for the source of the gruff voice. He finally relaxed when a huge bear with a ranger hat and a bucket came toward them from the other side of the sleigh.

"Don't stand there. Either help with this fire or evacuate and get yourselves to safety."

"Smokey, there was believer in there 'couple minutes ago. Did child get out?"

Smokey looked between the two through the smoke, registering who they were and what the words meant before sadly shaking his head.

"No humans came out and none live in there either. It's just containment now since anything in there is lost-"

"NO. No, there was a light in there."

North turned at Bunny's words just in time to see him race in. North looked back at the bear and nodded in the direction of his sleigh and the reindeer. "Watch sleigh for me, move if needed."

"Hey, Stop! Wet yourselves first or your clothes could catch fire. HEY!"

North heard the crackling flames drown Smokey out as he ran after Bunny. Aster had only given up once before, at Easter a few months ago. After Jamie, Aster's Hope had been renewed and stronger, never giving up, no matter the odds, even at cards. North stomped through the burning trees, the pine needles fizzling and snapping as the flames spread and consumed them. He heard Bunny yelling just ahead of him, calling for the 'kid' or 'anklebiter' to answer him. Suddenly, Bunny's voice changed to a frantic 'NORTH!' just as he burst into a clearing. It was easy to see what made his friend's tone change. Bunny was fighting to lift a huge, burning piece of wood off a small figure, the child, and move him or her out at the same time.

 _"Pyotr Tchaikovsky!"_ North cried out as he ran over and grabbed the bulk of the limb. "I lift, you pull 'im out."

Bunny moved over and crouched down in front of the child, his mind whirling. _'_ _Late teen... hoodie? Can't believe he's wearin' that in late August.'_ he noticed the boy's hair was soaked with sweat and so coated with ash and soot that it looked gray and white with only some black. One arm was pinned under the body, the other curled around his face, hiding him from the killer smoke around them. _'Kid tried holdin' on even wi'out much hope a rescue. Tha' musta been the only thin' he had.'_

Bunny reached down, glad when his paws made contact with the body-boy, instead of going through him. _'He still believes.'_ He nodded and, as North grunted, Bunny pulled the teen to him. He had a brief sensation of cold, even surrounded by flames but North pulled off his coat and tossed it over the kid.

"That vill give some protection. We get back to sleigh, now."

Bunny nodded sharply, pulling the large coat around the child, not letting his face be exposed. 'Who' didn't matter at the moment, making sure the kid didn't breathe in anymore smoke was what did. They ran, reaching the edge of the fire and almost hitting Smokey the Bear.

"Oi, mate, look out, this kid needs air." Bunny half growled as he started to set his bundle down to check on him. His paw was grabbed before he had the chance.

"No, you all need to move. Fire brigade is flying in to drop suppressant _here._ You and your reindeer need to get away before that."

"Thank you, we go now. Will send help when child is safe."

"Thank you."

North nodded sharply and jumped into the sleigh, grabbing the reins and preparing to go. Bunny said nothing and hesitated only a second before following him, setting the bundle beside him.

"Teenager, no wonder you barely saw the blighter's light, he was almost too old anyway."

"True, but why you feel it so strongly?" North asked as he snapped the reins and headed up, hearing Bunny gasp and, glancing over, saw him leaning over the coat and gripping the seat. "Ha, we find out later, first, hospital."

Bunny half nodded, trying not to puke carrots on the kid since he was still overheated from the fire and a bit nauseous from the earlier ride anyway. Then again, it was North's coat and North's driving so if it came down to it- a bump sent him airborne and he gripped the coat and the kid.

"North are ya tryin' ta bloody kill us?"

North shook his head and looked back. "Air pocket. I was trying to take short... cut-" North noticed now, without the smoke and falling debris, the kid was barefoot, even with the hoodie, and the pants, now barely visible through the opening in his coat, were short, frayed and brown. "Bunny, check him. Now."

"North, look where yer-"

"Bunny, now!"

Bunny started, not sure he wanted to remove his claws from the wood but North's voice was a mixture of scared and panicked. He took a deep breath, gulped, and pulled his claws out of the seat board, one by one, as North yelled. When his last claw was free he used that paw to brush the coat aside.

"Bunny, tell me I'm wrong. Is it him?"

Bunny knew who North meant, the chill, first overpowered by the heat of the fire and then shielded by the coat, was now exposed. Not as cold as it should have been but there was no doubt, with the light coating of frost that lined the inside of the coat.

"Pitch. Will. Cark it." Bunny focused on that. That more than the other thought in his head. The one that was asking the question that he didn't know if North was thinking of either. The one that forced guilt into his heart. They went looking for a child, a child whose light was on the Globe. A child whose Hope Bunny felt leaving. A child whose light, at that time, was weak and almost non-existent. A child who was Jack Frost.

"His staff wasn't there, was it?"

"Vith all da burning vood, could not tell. I vill go to Pole, snow may help him; even vith summer, is cold dere," North muttered half to himself as he pulled out a snowglobe and shook it, Santoff Clausen appearing inside before he threw it. "Brace 'im. HA!"

"Criiiikeeeeeeeeey!"

* * *

Sandy and Baby Tooth, with Tooth still sleeping peacefully, reached the lake without any luck at finding Jack. Sandy froze when he saw what looked like a person in a dark cloak standing on the edge of the lake and, even stranger, a mist circling him but not the the area.

Will O'Wisp looked around the clear, still lake, cold but not near enough for ice to form without the Winter Spirit to do it himself. Jack would be gone soon and just to spite him, Wisp's first victim would be on the brat's self-proclaimed 'home'. He thought back to the first time he had laid eyes on the frosted brat.

 _SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS_

"Excuse me, sir. My lantern has gone out and I am lost. Would you please show me the way out of these woods?"

Will O'Wisp smiled to himself in the fog as he walked, hearing the voice of the little girl who had caught sight of his lantern and started following him. He paused, allowing his cloak to disturb the mist before moving the light off a ways and walking.

The girl laughed and thanked him until she realized he was walking away and her hurried footfalls made him grin. She was young, eager and careless.

They were nearly to the marsh when a cold wind swept by him and the girl gasped. He looked over his shoulder to see a wall of swirling snow between him and the girl. Her cries turned to laughter as the snow spun around her and started moving her away. She slipped and he saw him. A white haired boy in brown pants, a white shirt and a worn brown cloak that barely covered his back.

The teen was floating in midair and used a shepherd's staff to create more ice, guiding the girl away from him and back to the path. He took a few deep breaths as the teen laughed and talked to the girl. She never answered or acknowledged him but she was out of his reach. He lured two drunken men to him later that night but it was not the same as the one that got away and he would never forget the one responsible, even if he did not know his name.

Over the years, Will O'Wisp learned of Jack Frost, the Spirit of Winter. The teenager stopped him several times more over the years and each time their paths crossed, Jack made it a point to allow his prey to escape his grasp. He had sworn that Jack Frost would pay but every time after that, the brat was successful in humiliating him. Almost fifty years ago, the confrontation at Hockomock Swamp resulted in him gaining the upper hand thanks to his larger size and strength, burning the cape off, even if the brat managed to freeze his feet to the ground. When he heard the meddler had been made a Guardian and got actual believers, after the boy's winter cold had killed more at a time than Wisp had, he felt cheated and started a plan.

Gathering others that were known as well, he had them spring the trap when the kid dipped down into Canada early. Summer heat would weaken him further and, although Wisp had planned to have water nearby, just for the satisfaction of shoving him under and trapping him forever, drawing it out long after the other spirits left. Instead, Jack Frost would burn, alone, and Will decided, as he left the inflamed forest, he would lure his very next victim in celebration, into Jack Frost's favorite lake.

 _SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS_

Will O'Wisp stood on the edge of the lake, his cloak around him shifting as he summoned more fog and mist to the lake and the surrounding area, pleased with the results. No one could find their way through it now. He turned and spotted a faint, yellow glow disturbing his mist. He held up his own light, keeping his hood up to conceal himself as he tried to draw whomever had managed to creep up on him out and to him.

Sandy kept Tooth on the bed of sand and moved it behind some trees and bushes before sending the small fairy to find the others. Jack was missing and this cloaked figure was on the lake shore Jack visited more than any other that Sandy could think of. The small man glided forward, noting the figure was taller than Jack and, from the size of the cloak, well built and not one he recognized by sight. He froze and tried to duck out of instinct when a human voice yelled out in the mist.

"Jack! Jack, where are you? Did you do this for hide and seek?"

Jamie had only seen Jack twice since Easter, both were cold nights and Jack had stayed inside near the A/C in his room. The snow storm in Canada was called a 'freak summer blizzard' but Jamie knew it had to be Jack. He'd run out of the house and toward the lake as soon as the sun was setting, seeing mist roll over and hide everything: trees, paths, rocks, nothing was clear.

"Come on Jack, no fair."

Jamie moved toward the flash of blue in the mist, trying to catch him. He was close and dove to grab the Winter Spirit, determined to tackle him this time and finally take him by surprise.

* * *

"Bunny, next time, not in sleigh and not on coat."

"Hey, it was that or on 'im."

North ignored him as two yetis took his coat and carted it off to the laundry. He pulled the frail-looking teen, a still believing _child_ , to him, seeing new injuries without the coat. Jack's right sleeve was burned and his chest showed signs of fire damage even though he had been pinned, face down with the injured arm under him.

"North, no way those injures came from the fire 'round 'im."

"I know Bunny. We find out later. You call others back vile I take Jack to medical ward."

Bunny huffed but the Globe room was closer so he headed to the lift, slowly at first, feeling better with each step. Solid ground. Nothing was better than good, solid ground under paw. When he reached the control panel, he grabbed the lever, twisted and pushed, lighting the Globe up for the second time that day.

* * *

 **A/N: Hi, thank you so much to Cat Lunanoff for beta-ing this. Bit of suspense here with Jamie but, heehee, I like doing that. I hope you like this chapter and thank you to the reviewers as well as those of you that fav'ed and followed my story, even after just one chapter. I hope it lives up to your expectations. Thanks again and enjoy.**

 **~Mysteryfan17~**


	3. Confusion

Chapter 3

Sandy shot his whips out, grabbing the boy as he dove, no doubt unknowingly, off the cliff overlooking the lake.

"Woah! Oof."

Jamie looked up from where he was sitting to find the Sandman standing over him. He tried to grin but the upset look on the other's face as he showed a snowflake over his head with an 'X' over it, a '?' followed by an arrow over toward where Jamie guessed he came from and finally a cliff at the water's edge.

"Ummm. I don't get what all that meant but Jack wouldn't let me get hurt." Jamie saw him roll his eyes and winced a little, remembering the sofa and loosing his tooth. "OK, he wouldn't let me get hurt badly."

Sandy shook his head at that, grabbed the boy's hand and tugged him towards the tree Tooth was by. The fog and mist were thickening by the second and although he was his own light, he could make out a bluish one piercing the murkiness and it was true, if he had not known Jack was in danger from Pitch or know it was slightly different than Jack's glow, he would think it was him playing a trick. He let Jamie go next to Tooth and started forming his sand under them again.

Jamie, for his part, was confused but tried to shake the Toothfairy awake so someone could explain what was going on. He felt tickling around his legs where he was kneeling and saw golden sand moving and forming under him.

"Woah, so cool."

Sandy smiled slightly but quickly turned his gaze upward when the colors of the Aurora shone through the mist. North wouldn't call them back unless it was important but he couldn't leave Jamie here when he didn't understand the danger, especially with someone that was obviously fine with the child being hurt or dying. He made his choice and finished forming the plane, modifying the tail for the two passengers, and took off, flashing symbols to Jamie beforehand even though he didn't think the boy understood them.

Tooth woke up from a marvelous dream about teeth, all as white and sparkly as Jack's. She blinked, saw the boy from Easter kneeling next to her and sat up quickly.

"Hey, it's you. You've been flossing right?"

Jamie tried to answer but fingers were prying at his mouth. The Toothfairy squealed and looked closer.

"Great, such good care of them. Almost perfect, you ate something and didn't brush, didn't you?"

She cocked her head with a knowing look as the boy finally got his mouth back. When he shivered, she looked around.

"Sandy, what are you doing... _oh_."

The lights further up almost made her take off on her own. They had to have found Jack. Nothing else would have made North stop the search. Sandy took them in and descended, circling the Globe as they went down. Jamie's awestruck expression made Tooth smile. It looked so much like Jack's as he turned, trying to see everything at once.

"Is this Santa's workshop? What are we doing here? This is amazing. Why did you have me come? Not that I don't love this. Won't Jack be wondering why I left with you? Why aren't elves making the toys? What's going on?"

Tooth saw Sandy shake his head and send up a bunch of symbols, Tooth watching this time.

"No sweety, Sandy says it wasn't Jack and that there was danger so he couldn't leave you there."

She hadn't got the rest of it but she wasn't telling the boy that. As soon as they landed, a yeti came over to them and started going on, gesturing toward the stairs and not stopping until they followed.

* * *

Jack wasn't sure where he was but he knew he was alone. Everything was dark and the loneliness he had felt for so longer was back and heavier than ever, because he had known what it was like to not be alone. He tried calling out and running, just to see if someone was there. North, Sandy, Tooth, Bunny, none of them answered. Sometimes he heard voices in the distance, talking and laughing, but never close enough to understand. He ran faster, begging now for someone, anyone, to help him. Suddenly Jamie came running toward him, leading his group of friends, Jack's first believers. He smiled, almost out of breath, crouched in relief and held his arms out.

"I thought you guys were all-"

Jack froze, gasping at the pain that tore through him, briefly but lingering, as Jamie Bennet ran right trough him.

"Come on guys, maybe we can see Santa and Sandman and-"

"And the Toothfairy." Pippa interrupted, smiling and excited as she went trough Jack's left arm.

"And the Easter Bunny." The twins said at the same time, going through Jack side by side.

"Yeah, Woa-hoo! They're the best!" Monty cheered, punching the air as he and Cupcake passed through Jack as well.

Jack finally got over his shock enough to move, turning and staring sadly at the kids as they walked away, taking no notice of him, and into nothingness.

"No... no, not again. I _can't_ be invisible again. Please! Someone, talk to me!"

Voices, understandable now, were coming from all around him.

"You aren't needed anymore."

"Disappear, like you should."

"They'll never accept you."

"You cause destruction wherever you go."

"You always mess things up."

"You're doing it right now."

" _Never_ should have trusted you."

 _'Wait. Bunny?'_ Jack thought, trying to spot him in the darkness.

"Bloody good thing he's gone. The world has no use for him, that's for sure."

"I just wonder why he stayed here so long. He knows he should stay where he is."

 _'No. Tooth too?'_ Jack thought she... right, she didn't like him, just...

"I should go knock all his teeth out since it's the only good thing he's got."

Jack collapsed to his knees, covering his ears as hard as he could.

"No more. No more." Jack repeated over and over. He couldn't take it. It hurt too much, he couldn't face it. He didn't want to hear any more.

"I told you."

Pitch again. Jack wanted nothing to do with him either and just pushed his hands against his ears harder. Yelling in an effort to drown out the hated words. The hate-filled words.

* * *

Tooth flew swiftly after the yeti, followed by the other two. She caught sight of a few elves and yetis looking at them, or rather, Jamie as he was the first human in the Pole but Jack was the one she wanted to see.

"Woah, Sheila, stop right there."

Jamie's eyes widened even more when the full-size Easter Bunny stepped out of the room that the Bigfoot they'd been following had just yelled, grumbled into. He put his huge paws on her shoulders, so focused on her that he didn't notice Jamie standing there.

"Frostbite got inta a scrape but we got 'im. He's out cold still but ya can' go rushin' in there, he needs the rest."

"Was it Pitch? I should have emptied his mouth. If he hurt him... oh Sweet Tooth."

Jamie felt so bad he reached up and touched her back.

"Will Jack be OK?"

"Oi, where'd he come fro- you."

Bunny was torn between yelling and asking what they were thinking bringing the kid along, even if he was the reason Bunny was still there and the kid's sis was the sweetest little ankle-biter he'd known. He mentally gave in considering the boy wasn't running around, chasing the elves unsupervised.

Jamie crossed his arms, just like his mom did when he didn't answer here, and stared up. "I asked a question. Will Jack be OK?"

The moment that Bunny looked at the other two, Jamie dashed passed him and into the room. The calls of 'Hey, wait,' were ignored but he had to skid to a halt when he almost ran into a huge leg and it was _cold_ in here. Colder than the rest of the building at least. Jamie's first thought was it was Jack but even when he was in his room it never felt _this_ cold.

"Mmrofar sagar."

"Good, good. Now, more snow. He still too warm."

Jamie gazed up at Santa, awed at the fact he had bare arms and... were those _tattoos_? Wait 'til he told everyone. The bigfoot that had led them to the room, at least, he thought it was the same one, dumped an armload of snow on the bed against the far wall. Jamie blinked before running past Santa and staring.

"Jack!"

Jack looked so different. The fight with Pitch wasn't this bad. Jack's hair was damp and limp with lots of black and gray in it. The blue hoodie was gone and Jamie was sure only sick people looked that skinny. The shirt that was sticking to Jack looked like the one that boy wore in the Disney movie with the talking cat and three witches. Like it was from the 1600s or something. The worst part was it was torn and one sleeve was gone completely, leaving Jack's arm just covered in snow that melted or slid off to reveal burns.

"I thought..." Jamie tried, disbelief choking his words off. "How did this happen?"

Jamie turned his head to look at Santa, wanting to know Jack would be OK, why he was hurt at all, _how_ he could be hurt like this.

North looked back at the boy in shock. The Last Light, and Jack's first believer. How could he explain that he and the others had failed?

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry it's bit on the short side but it had to divide here. I hope this holds you over a little :) I started training as a cashier and the past week has been a bit on the busy side... OK a lot on the busy side. Working on multiple stories outside of work... yeah. Well, Much more on the way and thank to to my wonderful beta again.**

 **~Mysteryfan17~**


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